document.write( "Question 333547: Margaret is 16 years younger than Alice. Alice is 3 times as old as Jonathan. A year ago, Alice's age was twice the sum of Margaret's and Jonathan's ages. How old is Margaret now? \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #239024 by ankor@dixie-net.com(22740)\"\" \"About 
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let m = Margret's present age
\n" ); document.write( "let a = Alice's present age
\n" ); document.write( "let j = Jonathan's present age
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( "Write an equation for each statement, simplify if possible:
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( "\"Margaret is 16 years younger than Alice.\"
\n" ); document.write( "m = (a-16)
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( "\" Alice is 3 times as old as Jonathan.\"
\n" ); document.write( "a = 3j
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( "\" A year ago, Alice's age was twice the sum of Margaret's and Jonathan's ages.\"
\n" ); document.write( "a - 1 = 2[(m-1)+(j-1)}
\n" ); document.write( "a - 1 = 2(m+j-2)
\n" ); document.write( "a - 1 = 2m + 2j - 4
\n" ); document.write( "a = 2m + 2j - 4 + 1
\n" ); document.write( "a = 2m + 2j - 3
\n" ); document.write( "Replace m with (a-16
\n" ); document.write( "a = 2(a-16) + 2j - 3
\n" ); document.write( "a = 2a - 32 + 2j - 3
\n" ); document.write( "a - 2a = 2j - 32 - 3
\n" ); document.write( "-a = 2j - 35
\n" ); document.write( "a = -2j + 35; multiplied by -1
\n" ); document.write( "Replace a with 3j
\n" ); document.write( "3j = -2j + 35
\n" ); document.write( "3j + 2j = 35
\n" ); document.write( "5j = 35
\n" ); document.write( "j = \"35%2F5\"
\n" ); document.write( "j = 7 yrs, (Jon)
\n" ); document.write( "then
\n" ); document.write( "a = 3(7)
\n" ); document.write( "a = 21 yrs, (Alice
\n" ); document.write( "then
\n" ); document.write( "m = 21 - 16
\n" ); document.write( "m = 5 yrs old, is Margaret's age
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( "checking this out in the statement:
\n" ); document.write( "\" A year ago, Alice's age was twice the sum of Margret's and Jonathan's ages.\"
\n" ); document.write( "21 - 1 = 2(5 - 1 + 7 -1)
\n" ); document.write( "20 = 2(10), confirms our solution
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( " How old is Margaret now? 5 yrs \n" ); document.write( "
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